Quick Links

Bluffton hearts & darts

Posted: January 20, 2013 - 1:10am

Savannah

We are going to apologize in advance for more darts than hearts today, but last week was a tough week all around.

TWO CANDIDATES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL

Hearts ... to Mark Lawson and Tabor Vaux who are facing off this month in the Republican primary election on Jan. 29 to fill a Beaufort County Council seat vacated by Weston Newton as he headed to Columbia.

Voters have a choice. The position represents most of Bluffton and is important.

We salute the candidates and encourage folks to do their homework, make their pick and exercise their right at the polls.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Jan. 29. You can read about the two candidates online at blufftontoday.com and also see video clips from each online.

Bluffton Today will give you the results of the race online that night once polls are closed and results are tallied.

We wish both candidates good luck and thank them for entering the fray.

LIVESTRONG OR LIVEWRONG

Darts ... to Lance Armstrong for not coming clean years ago when he was first accused of doping.

The cyclist, who many rallied around during his battle with cancer, has lost the respect of everyone after lying and cheating.

Some want to credit Armstrong for finally acknowledging what most have suspected for years. But we can’t go that easy on him as it takes a lot of deception and money to work so hard to fool fans, the public and the world for so long.

In the interview with Oprah, Armstrong tries to tell his story. But at this point, who cares and who believes anything he says or does.

Hats off to CBS’ Scott Pelley for being the one to expose the lies. And of course Oprah won the interview with Armstrong and that just seems appropriate.

NOTRE DAME IN THE NEWS

Darts ... to the crazy ways of the Internet and what Heisman finalist and Notre Dame player Manti Te’o knew or didn’t know about the alleged hoax.

The hoax has become an online sensation. The questions about what he and Notre Dame knew when are still coming out.

As of Friday night, Te’o remained silent. Notre had hoped he would explain his side of things.

It all started when Deadspin.com published a story alleging Te’o may have been involved in the hoax about the dead girlfriend from the get go. And why would he do that: To get national publicity for his Heisman campaign and for Notre Dame.

At this point, we don’t know what to believe. But we do hope the truth comes out and if the hoax was done to try to tarnish the image of Notre Dame and Te’o, the people responsible will be found and dealt with.

Cyber-stalking and bullying is something that needs to be taken seriously.

PUBLIC NEEDS SOME ANSWERS

Darts ... to the Beaufort County School District in its abhorrent handling in the instance of H.E. McCracken principal Phillip Shaw.

Here’s what we know: Shaw left the middle school on paid leave Nov. 8. He makes more than $93,000. He never returned and no information about why he was out for two months has been released. Very few questions about the circumstances have been answered by the district.

The most recent turn of the screw is that last week school officials announced Shaw had been reassigned to lead the alternative education program for the district at the same pay. Fact is, he would be supervising about 25 students there compared with the some 850 at the middle school.

Taxpayers deserve answers and it would go a long way to the school board’s credibility if they demanded answers and held the interim superintendent accountable for the handling of the entire ordeal.

The movements by the district have raised more questions and made things worse. As the saga continues, the district’s credibility continues to decline in the community at time when it needs to be restored and repaired.

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.